I'll Be Better Next Year, I Promise
by Holly-Fan-1
Summary: Chris and Piper bonding.


**I'll Be Good Enough Next Year, I Promise: A Piper and Chris Halliwell Story**

Summer 2010

Christopher Halliwell stood next to home plate holding a bat. When the ball got close enough he swung and it went flying through the air and he took of to first base. He got there just before the first baseman tapped him on the back with his glove which had the baseball in it. He then looked deep into the crowd and saw his daddy sitting next to his Aunt Paige in the bleachers but yet again she was no where to be seen.

His mommy hadn't been to any of his baseball games this year. Granted, it was his first year playing and he wasn't very good and someone did need to run the club but he wished she could be at just one of his games.

He heard the ball make contact with the bat at home plate and he took off to second. Having just enough time to slide into home before the catcher could tap him.

Two hours later, Chris was sitting in the living room of the Halliwell manor. He was still wearing his baseball uniform and was waiting on his mom to get home from work at her nightclub, P3. His Aunt Paige had broughten him home from his game and was now sitting next to him on the couch. "Auntie Paige, can I make a promise to myself?" he asked her out of the blue.

"Sure, sweetie, what promise do you want to make yourself?" Paige answered curiously.

"Well, next year at baseball season I'm gonna be extra better then this year. Then, maybe, mommy will get someone else to work and come to my games." he said nonchalantly. The coolness in his voice scared Paige. He usually let her know exactly how he felt, they had always been close, but now it was like he had shut himself off.

Paige didn't like it.

"Sweetie, you don't have to change yourself to make others happy." she said pushing some of his shaggy chocolate brown hair out of his eyes.

"But I'm not good enough. Mommy might come and watch if I was better." Chris answered.

Paige didn't get to answer that because just as the words left his mouth Piper walked in the front door and Chris lept off the couch to go greet her. Paige stood up and went over and stood in the doorway watching as Piper grinned at Chris apon seeing him and bent down to hug him, lifting him up with her as she straightened back up. "Hey Peanut. How'd the game go?" Piper asked letting him wrap his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck so that he was facing her in her arms.

"It was ok." Chris answered shrugging.

"It was great. Chris got 2 homeruns and a bunch of outs when he pitched." Paige interjected. "They won 5 to 1."

"Oh wow Chris that sounds great. I'm really sorry I missed it." Piper appologized looking at her son intently to see if he accepted her apology.

Chris shrugged. "Its ok. There'll be other seasons."

Piper nodded slightly and kissed him on the head before turning her attention to her sister. "So, was he good while I was at work?"

"An angel." Paige answered. "But now I need to get back home. Henry's probably waiting for me."

Piper nodded and said goodbye to her sister before turning back to Chris, who she had sat on the floor, he stood still dressed in his black and green baseball uniform and had to bend his head back a little more then usual to see her under the flap of his baseball cap. She smiled at him and then bent down to his level. "So, where's your brother?"

"Daddy took him to his soccer game after my baseball game." Chris answered.

"Ok. Are you hungry?" Piper questioned, she knew Paige had taken him out to eat but she couldn't stand the thought of sitting in an awkward silence with her own son.

"No, Auntie Paige took me to McDonald's after the game." Chris answered.

"OK. How about I help you take a bath?" Piper suggested.

"OK." Chris said nodding slightly. Piper nodded sighing slightly before taking his hand and leading him upstairs and into the bathroom. Piper helped him take off his uniform and ran his bath water. Once he was finished washing off she wrapped him in a towel and took him into his bedroom and helped him put on a pair of slightly baggy jeans and a green t-shirt with white and blue stripes across his chest. She then bent down to his level.

"Peanut, what were you and Auntie Paige talking about when i got home?" Piper questioned. She'd walked in in time to hear Chris saying something about being better.

"My promise." He answered, pushing some of her long brown hair that matched his own off of her shoulder and back to lay on her back, he'd always loved playing with her hair. When he did that he leaned toward her slightly and she wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close.

"Who'd you make a promise to?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side to look at him from the new angle.

"Me."

"Really, What did you promise you?" she questioned smiling slightly as Chris laughed.

"That'd I'd be better."

Piper looked at him curiously. "Better at what?"

"Baseball. Cause, maybe, if I'm better next year, you might come watch." he commented as if it was nothing. Piper's breath caught in her throat.

"Chris, baby, you don't have to do that. I just thought that you were ok with Auntie Paige being there. I didn't know it was important to you that I go."

"I do like Auntie Paige being there. I just think it'd be good if you came with her." he commented looking at his fingers as he ran his fingers through a lock of her hair.

"Hey, look at me." she waited until he did to continue. "I will be at every single game after this one, I promise. I won't miss any unless its a big, big emergency."

Chris grinned at her. "Really?"

"Really. I would have come to all of these if you would have told me you felt this way. You can tell me anything sweetie, I won't be mad."

Chris shrugged. "You were busy."

Piper turned his attention away from her hair to look him in the eye. "I'm never, ever to busy for you or Wyatt. You two mean more to me then anything. Remember that, OK?"

Chris nodded and Piper pulled him into a tight hug. "I love you, Peanut."

"I know. I love you to, mommy." Chris answered making Piper smile at him which he returned with an identical one.

Summer 2011

Chris stood at the pitchers mound and tossed it toward the batter. He missed and the umpire called third outs and the game was over. Chris's team had won. He grinned and ran toward the dug out and picked up his brand new baseball bag that he had got for the new season, this being the first game, and ran out of the fenced in field and over to his Aunt Paige who was standing right outside waiting for him. Chris ran up and hugged her and she looked down at him, not being able to lift him because of her current pregnant state. "Hey, dude, you were so good out there." she praised him, making him grin at her.

"She's right you know." Chris spun around and his eyes lit up in shock and amazement. Mommy had kept her promise. She'd come. Chris ran over and hugged her. Piper grinned and lifted him up.

"You came!" he announced happily, she hadn't told him she was going to be there.

"Of course I did. I promised didn't I?" Chris nodded and Piper kissed his cheek. "So, where we eatin?"

Chris and Paige shared a look and grinned. It was a tradition to go to McDonalds after Chris's baseball games. They'd started that after his first game last season. Piper shook her head and grinned before setting Chris back down and taking his hand and leading him to her car.


End file.
